Regions Financial Corp.'s (RF) Morgan Keegan Brokerage Unit Hit With Award for 100% of Claimant's Damages Sought Plus Hit With F
17 September 2010 - 9:11AM
On September 16, 2010, a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(FINRA) arbitration panel awarded 100% of damages sought and
assessed costs against Regions Financial Corp.'s (RF) brokerage
unit, Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. for breach of legal duties
owed a 73-year old client. The case is Gratwick v. Morgan Keegan
& Company Inc., FINRA Case No. 10-00456. The funds found
subject to the award included the RMK Advantage Income Fund (RMA),
now the Helios Advantage Income Fund (HAV); and, the RMK
Multi-Sector High Income Fund (RHY), Now Helios Multi-Sector High
Income Fund (HMH).
Morgan Keegan was found liable on one or more of the Claimant's
causes of action: misrepresentation and failure to disclose
material facts that funds were not diversified; violation of
fundamental investment restriction limiting residential mortgage
investments to 25% of net assets; failure to adequately disclose
extreme credit risk leverage; violation of NASD and NYSE Rules;
breach of fiduciary duty; constructive fraud; breach of contract;
common law fraud; negligence and breach of duty; negligent
supervision; violation of federal securities laws; violation of
Georgia Securities Act; violation of Tennessee Consumer Protection
Act of 1977; and respondeat superior.
Firm principal Jim Dunlap commented on the award saying, "The
claim was made difficult in several ways, including the fact that
the Claimant was well-educated and worked in the
investment/insurance industry. However, the arbitrator was
obviously impressed with our case as he awarded everything we asked
for -- 100% of our claims plus imposed forum costs on Morgan
Keegan. Needless to say, my client was pleased with the
result."
The Claimant's broker at Morgan Keegan, J. WILLIAM WYKER III,
123 LEE STREET, DECATUR, AL 35601, attempted to have his record
expunged by claiming that -- aside of any wrongdoing Morgan Keegan
& Co. may have committed in the case -- that he was not
responsible while allowing his 73-year senior investor client's
account to become concentrated with more than 50% in Regions Morgan
Keegan junk-rated funds which were filled with extremely risky
bottom-tranche structured-products that eventually collapsed 90% in
2007-08. The arbitrator entirely rejected J. WILLIAM WYKER
III's arguments and ultimately his expungement request. Morgan
Keegan was represented by Bass, Berry & Sims PLC of Nashville,
Tennessee.
James A. Dunlap Jr. & Associates LLC and affiliated
attorneys have filed arbitration claims on behalf of other
investors in the Regions Morgan Keegan Bond Funds. The arbitration
claims involve losses in the Morgan Keegan High-Yield Funds which
have recently changed names as follows:
Formerly RMK High Income Fund -- RMH/Now
Helios High Income Fund -- HIH |
Formerly RMK Multi-Sector High Income Fund --
RHY/Now Helios Multi-Sector High Income Fund -- HMH |
Formerly RMK Advantage Income Fund -- RMA/Now
Helios Advantage Income Fund -- HAV |
Formerly RMK Strategic Income Fund -- RSF/Now
Helios Strategic Income Fund -- HSA |
Formerly Regions MK Select High Income-C --
RHICX |
Formerly Regions MK Select High Income-A --
MKHIX/Now Helios Select High Income Fund -- HIFAX |
Formerly RHIIX -- Regions MK Select High
Income-I |
Formerly RIBCX -- Regions MK Select
Intermediate Bond Fund-C |
Formerly Regions MK Select Intermediate Bond
Fund -- MKIBX/Now Helios Select Intermediate Income Fund --
HSIBX |
Formerly RIBIX Regions MK Select Intermediate
Bond Fund-I |
Specific information about the Morgan Keegan fund claims can be
reviewed at http://www.jamesdunlaplaw.com/cms.php?id=36.
If you lost money in the Morgan Keegan Bond Funds, please
contact James A. Dunlap Jr., Esquire, of James A. Dunlap Jr. &
Associates LLC at 404-354-2363, for a free consultation. You may
visit the firm's web site at http://www.jamesdunlaplaw.com.
CONTACT: James A. Dunlap Jr. & Associates LLC
Jim Dunlap, Principal
404-354-2363
Fax: 404-745-0195
jim@jamesdunlaplaw.com
801 W Conway Drive NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30327
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